Project Detail

Description

This project is intended to update an existing Flash 8 FLA currently used in production for a couple of years already. The current version of this Flash file is able to play FLV movies streamed from a Flash Media Server and to capture the user’s video camera and record a video stream to the same FMS allowing preview playback of the captured movie and re-recording it if needed. The SWF exposes a series of methods that are then invoked from JavaScript and that are used by a web page implementing a messaging system (like Hotmail.) The JS methods are used to configure the video player to set the mode (recording or playback), FMS’s URL, stream name (playback mode), and obtain the captured stream name (recording mode) as returned by the FMS.

The purpose of this project is to improve the usability of the UI of this video player and to enhance the overall reliability of the movie player so it’s able to better handle error conditions. In general, the current version should be used as a reference and most of its functionality should be preserved, to which these new features / fixes should be added:

PLAYBACK MODE:
- Load the first frame of the video and add a transparent button on top to start playing. This is already working with some issues. Appropriately handle the case where the connection with the FMS is temporarily down. Appropriately handle the case where the video stream is missing (possible scenario)
- Add a progress bar for the video stream when in playback mode. The progress bar should allow the user to jump to an arbitrary section of the stream with a drag and drop action.
- Provide full screen mode option, which should be possible to set as a JavaScript parameter (initial value) and turned ON/OFF by the user if allowed by another JS parameter in the UI.
- Provide an option to set the quality (bandwidth) of the movie played. This option must be set as a JS parameter not available to the user.
- Use secure communication mode as supported by our FMS provider

RECORDING MODE:
- Detect if the user has not already given permissions to use their webcam and alert them with a given message (to be provided) along with a URL to obtain more information. If possible, allow the user to launch Flash’s setting from the same dialog.
- Capturing the audio/video will have a maximum amount of recording time (JavaScript parameter, not available to the user). While recording, the remaining recording time should be properly displayed to the user (this is already partially implemented.)
- Provide an option to set the quality (bandwidth) allowed to capture the video. This option must be set as a JS parameter not available to the user.
- Detect when the user does not have a webcam, but does have a MIC and offer the option to capture audio only. The stream should be saved to FMS as a regular FLV file.
- When both webcam and MIC are available, allow the user to choose between recording a “video and audio” or “audio only” message.
- If capturing the webcam, the live feed from the webcam must be provided to the user. While recording the UI should provide clear feedback to the user that this is happening. This is already partially implemented.
- If capturing only the MIC, a stock image should be presented to the user (picture of a MIC, for example) and when recording clear feedback must be provided to the user.
- When the max amount of recording time is reached or the user stops recording, the user will have the option to preview the video/audio just recorded and also the option to override it and start again. This feature is already working in the current version for video only, but it has some issues under specific circumstances.
- Once a stream is recorded an confirmed, provide an option to obtain via JavaScript the reference to a screenshot of the first frame of the video.
- Use secure communication mode as supported by our FMS provider

It is up to the consultant to recommend if you want to create a new project or modify the existing one. The source of this FLV was coded using Flash 8 and if possible, the new version should remain the same, unless there is a good justification for changing this. The current version of the files (SWF, FLA) will be made available to the selected candidate.